U.S. patent number 5,311,413 [Application Number 08/111,940] was granted by the patent office on 1994-05-10 for device for instantaneously energizing glow bait used for fishing.
Invention is credited to Gordon J. Alspaugh, Victor O. Castle, Jr., Franklin D. Farmer.
United States Patent |
5,311,413 |
Farmer , et al. |
May 10, 1994 |
Device for instantaneously energizing glow bait used for
fishing
Abstract
A device (10) for instantaneously energizing glow bait (22), is
described. The device has a container (12) with a reflective
chamber (16) mounted inside. The reflective chamber has a
reflective layer (18) surrounded by a transparent layer which
allows light from a flash circuit (32) to reflect off the
reflective layer and onto the glow bait to be energized. The flash
circuit is mounted within a lid (26) pivotably mounted to the top
(14A) of the handle (14) adjacent the top portion (12H) of the
container. In the closed position, the lid completely covers the
top opening (12D) of the container and upon activation, the
flashbulb (38) of the flash circuit directs a flash of light down
into the reflective chamber containing the glow bait. The flash
circuit is activated by a switch (44) located on the top of the
handle of the container. In an alternate embodiment, the reflective
layer (116) is mounted directly to the interior surface (112F) of
the container (112) of the device (110).
Inventors: |
Farmer; Franklin D. (Lansing,
MI), Alspaugh; Gordon J. (Carson City, MI), Castle, Jr.;
Victor O. (Maple Rapids, MI) |
Family
ID: |
22341254 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/111,940 |
Filed: |
August 26, 1993 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
362/154; 362/157;
362/84; 43/17.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21V
33/008 (20130101); A01K 85/01 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A01K
85/01 (20060101); F21V 33/00 (20060101); F21V
033/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;362/154,84,157,101,295,253 ;43/17.5,17.6 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Cole; Richard R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: McLeod; Ian C.
Claims
We claim:
1. A device for instantaneously energizing a glow bait for use in
fishing which comprises:
(a) a container means having a bottom wall and a sidewall extending
upward from the bottom wall to form a top opening; the container
means having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
(b) a reflective means mounted inside the container means;
(c) a lid means for completely covering the top opening of the
container means; and
(d) a flash means mounted inside the device to instantaneously
energize the glow bait within the container means upon production
of a flash of light by the flash means.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the container means has a circular
cross-section.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein a handle means is mounted onto the
exterior surface of the container means for gripping the container
means during use of the device.
4. The device of claim 3 wherein the lid means is pivotably mounted
on the handle means to enable one handed operation of the
device.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein the lid means is pivotably mounted
on the exterior surface of the container means by a hinge
means.
6. A device for instantaneously energizing a glow bait for use in
fishing which comprises:
(a) a container means having a bottom wall and a sidewall extending
upward from the bottom wall to form a top opening; the container
means having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
(b) a reflective means mounted inside the container means;
(c) a lid means pivotably mounted adjacent to the top opening of
the container means for completely covering the top opening to
close the container means; and
(d) a flash means mounted on the lid means and orientated so as to
flash from the top opening of the container means into the
container means when the lid means is covering the top opening to
instantaneously energize the glow bait within the container means
upon production of a flash of light by the flash means.
7. The device of claim 6 wherein the container means has a circular
cross-section.
8. The device of claim 6 wherein a handle means is mounted onto the
exterior surface of the container means for gripping the container
means during use of the device.
9. The device of claim 8 wherein the lid means is pivotably mounted
on the handle means to enable one handed operation of the
device.
10. The device of claim 6 wherein the lid means is pivotably
mounted on the exterior surface of the container means by a hinge
means.
11. A device for instantaneously energizing a glow bait for use in
fishing which comprises:
(a) a container means having a bottom wall and a sidewall extending
upwards from the bottom wall to form a top opening, the container
means having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
(b) a reflective layer means mounted inside the container
means;
(c) a transparent layer means surrounding the reflective layer
means;
(d) a lid means pivotably mounted adjacent the top opening of the
container means having a top wall and a sidewall extending downward
from the top wall, the top wall having an inner surface;
(e) a flash means mounted on the inner surface of the top wall of
the lid means and orientated so as to flash from the top opening of
the container means into the container means when the lid means is
covering the top opening upon production of a flash of light by the
flash means; and
(f) an activating means mounted outside of the device for
activating the flash means when the lid means is covering the top
opening of the container means.
12. The device of claim 11 wherein the container means has a
circular cross-section.
13. The device of claim 11 wherein a handle means is mounted onto
the exterior surface of the container means for gripping the
container means during use of the device.
14. The device of claim 13 wherein the activating means is mounted
on the handle means.
15. The device of claim 13 wherein the lid means is pivotably
mounted on the handle means to enable one handed operation of the
device.
16. The device of claim 11 wherein the activating means is a push
down switch.
17. The device of claim 11 wherein the lid means is pivotably
mounted on the exterior surface of the container means by a hinge
means.
18. The device of claim 17 wherein the hinge means has a tab means
for easy pivoting of the lid means to the open position.
19. The device of claim 11 wherein the flash means has an LED which
extends through the top wall of the lid means to indicate
availability of the flash means for flashing.
20. The device of claim 11 wherein the flash means is a flash
circuit having at least a flashbulb, a capacitor and a power source
electrically joined together to produce the flash of light.
21. The device of claim 11 wherein the transparent layer means is
constructed of glass.
22. The device of claim 11 wherein the transparent layer has a
concave surface adjacent the bottom wall of the container
means.
23. A method for instantaneously energizing a glow bait which
comprises:
(a) providing a container means having a bottom wall and a sidewall
extending upward from the bottom wall to form a top opening; the
container means having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
a reflective means mounted inside the container means; a lid means
for completely covering the top opening of the container means; and
a flash means mounted inside the device to instantaneously energize
the glow bait within the container means upon production of a flash
of light by the flash means;
(b) placing the glow bait in the container means;
(c) closing the lid means over the top opening of the container
means to completely close the container means;
(d) activating the flash means to energize the glow bait and;
(e) removing the glow bait from the container means.
24. The method of claim 23 wherein a transparent means is provided
on the reflective means so that the glow bait is completely
illuminated.
25. A method for instantaneously energizing a glow bait for use in
fishing which comprises:
(a) providing a container means having a bottom wall and a sidewall
extending upwards from the bottom wall to form a top opening, the
container means having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
a reflective layer means mounted inside the container means; a
transparent layer means surrounding the reflective layer means; a
lid means pivotably mounted adjacent the top opening of the
container means having a top wall and a sidewall extending downward
from the top wall, the top wall having an inner surface; a flash
means mounted on the inner surface of the top wall of the lid means
and orientated so as to flash from the top opening of the container
means into the container means when the lid means is covering the
top opening upon production of a flash of light by the flash means;
and an activating means mounted outside of the device for
activating the flash means when the lid means is covering the top
opening of the container means;
(b) placing the glow bait in the container means;
(c) closing the lid means over the top opening of the container
means to completely close the container means;
(d) activating the flash means for energizing the glow bait;
and
(e) removing the glow bait from the container means.
26. The method of claim 25 wherein the glow bait is placed on the
transparent layer means above the bottom wall of the container
means and wherein the light is focused at the glow bait by the
reflective layer means.
27. The method of claim 25 wherein more than one glow bait is
activated at the same time.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for instantaneously
energizing glow bait for use in fishing. In particular, the present
invention relates to a container having a reflective inner chamber
and a flash circuit located within a lid for the container. The
glow bait is placed in the container and the lid is closed, which
completely encloses the reflective chamber in the container. The
flash circuit is activated and the glow bait is instantaneously
energized within the container.
(2) Prior Art
The general use of a light source to energize luminous material to
prolong illumination is well known in the prior art. Illustrative
of such devices are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,275,890 to Flannery; 1,654,370
to Goetschius; 2,905,863 to Martin et al; 4,209,823 to Burkdoll and
4,528,621 to Hoyt. With the above devices, the luminous material is
part of the device. In addition, the luminous material is exposed
to the light source for a considerable length of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,388 to Bouchard et al uses a flashlamp to
activate a phosphorous coating which is disposed on the interior
surface of the housing surrounding the flashlamp. Although, only a
single flash is used to activate the phosphorous coating, the
luminous material is again attached to the light source.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,831 to O'Shaughnessy uses an activation
apparatus which includes a hollow housing made of a transparent
plastic material within which is located a battery operated lamp
surrounded by a transparent plastic cylinder to activate a
phosphorescent member. The phosphorescent member is placed on top
of the transparent housing immediately above the lamp, which is
then illuminated. Here, the phosphorescent member is separate from
the light source but this activation apparatus does not instantly
energize the phosphorescent member using a flash of light.
Thus, none of the prior art shows a device which uses a flash of
light to instantaneously energize luminous material which can then
be removed from the device for use elsewhere. In particular, none
of the prior art describe a device which is used to instantaneously
energize glow bait for fishing which is portable and easy to
use.
Also of interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 564,839 to Pflueger; 1,817,694
to Lafky and 2,303,097 to Townsend et al which show various fishing
lures using luminous material.
OBJECTS
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
device having a reflective chamber in a container and a lid which
fits over the top opening of the container and contains a flash
circuit to provide a flash of light in the interior of the
container. Further, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a device which will instantaneously energize glow bait for
fishing such that the glow bait remains energized up to one hour.
Still further, it is an object of the present invention to provide
a device which will instantaneously energize one or more glow baits
at one time on all sides. Further, it is an object of the present
invention to provide a device which can be held in one hand and
activated with the same hand. Still further, it is an object of the
present invention to provide a device which will withstand exposure
to the elements and will also float. Finally, it is an object of
the present invention to provide a device which is portable and
relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device 10 showing a lid 26 in
the closed position on a container 12.
FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional view of the device 10 showing a
circular cross-sectional reflective layer 18 and a transparent
layer 20 of the reflective chamber 16 and the glow bait 22 and a
flash circuit 32 mounted within the lid 26.
FIG. 2A is a top cross-sectional view of the device 10 along the
line 2A--2A of FIG. 2 showing the container 12, the reflective
layer 18 and the transparent layer 20 of the reflective chamber
16.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the lid 26 along the line 3--3
of FIG. 2 showing a power source 34, a flashbulb 38 and a capacitor
36 of the flash circuit 32.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the
device 110 showing a reflective layer 116, a transparent layer 118,
glow bait 22 and a flash circuit 122 mounted within a lid 120.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the flash circuit 32 including a
switch 44 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention relates to a device for instantaneously
energizing a glow bait for use in fishing which comprises: a
container means having a bottom wall and a sidewall extending
upward from the bottom wall to form a top opening; the container
means having an interior surface and an exterior surface; a
reflective means mounted inside the container means; a lid means
for completely covering the top opening of the container means; and
a flash means mounted inside the device to instantaneously energize
the glow bait within the container means upon production of a flash
of light by the flash means.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to a device for
instantaneously energizing a glow bait for use in fishing which
comprises: a container means having a bottom wall and a sidewall
extending upward from the bottom wall to form a top opening; the
container means having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
a reflective means mounted inside the container means; a lid means
pivotably mounted adjacent to the top opening of the container
means for completely covering the top opening to close the
container means; and a flash means mounted on the lid means and
orientated so as to flash from the top opening of the container
means into the container means when the lid means is covering the
top opening to instantaneously energize the glow bait within the
container means upon production of a flash of light by the flash
means.
In particular, the present invention relates to a device for
instantaneously energizing a glow bait for use in fishing which
comprises: a container means having a bottom wall and a sidewall
extending upwards from the bottom wall to form a top opening, the
container means having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
a reflective layer means mounted inside the container means; a
transparent layer means mounted adjacent to the reflective layer
means on a side opposite the container means; a lid means pivotably
mounted adjacent the top opening of the container means having a
top wall and a sidewall extending downward from the top wall, the
top wall having an inner surface; a flash means mounted on the
inner surface of the top wall of the lid means and orientated so as
to flash from the top opening of the container means into the
container means when the lid means is covering the top opening upon
production of a flash of light by the flash means; and an
activating means mounted outside of the device for activating the
flash means when the lid means is covering the top opening of the
container means.
The present invention also relates to a method for instantaneously
energizing a glow bait which comprises: providing a container means
having a bottom wall and a sidewall extending upward from the
bottom wall to form a top opening; the container means having an
interior surface and an exterior surface; a reflective means
mounted inside the container means; a lid means for completely
covering the top opening of the container means; a flash means
mounted inside the device to instantaneously energize the glow bait
within the container means upon production of a flash of light by
the flash means; placing glow bait in the device; closing the lid
of the device to completely enclose the glow bait; activating the
electronic flash means to energize the glow bait and; removing the
bait from the container means.
Finally, the present invention relates to a method for
instantaneously energizing a glow bait for use in fishing which
comprises: providing a container means having a bottom wall and a
sidewall extending upwards from the bottom wall to form a top
opening, the container means having an interior surface and an
exterior surface; a reflective layer means mounted inside the
container means; a transparent layer means mounted adjacent the
reflective layer means on a side opposite the container means; a
lid means pivotably mounted adjacent the top opening of the
container means having a top wall and a sidewall extending downward
from the top wall, the top wall having an inner surface; a flash
means mounted on the inner surface of the top wall of the lid means
and orientated so as to flash from the top opening of the container
means into the container means when the lid means is covering the
top opening upon production of a flash of light by the flash means;
and an activating means mounted outside of the device for
activating the flash means when the lid means is covering the top
opening of the container means; placing glow bait in the container
means; closing the lid means over the top opening of the container
means to completely close the container means; activating the flash
means for energizing the glow bait; and removing the bait from the
container means.
The preferred embodiment of the invention has a reflective means
and a transparent means adjacent the interior surface of the
container. The reflective means and the transparent means
preferably have a concave shape adjacent the bottom wall of the
container in order to enable all side of the glow bait to be
energized in a single activation of the flash means. Also in the
preferred embodiment, the container means has a handle means on the
exterior surface of the container means. The activating means and
the tab and hinge for flipping open the lid are both preferably
mounted onto the handle to allow single handed operation of the
device.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show the glow bait energizing device 10 of the
present invention. The preferred embodiment of the device 10
includes a container 12 having a reflective chamber 16, a lid 26
and a flash circuit 32 mounted within the lid 26. The container 12
has a bottom wall 12A which forms the bottom 12B of the container
12 and a sidewall 12C which extends upward from the bottom wall 12A
to form a top opening 12D at the top 12E of the container 12. As
shown in FIG. 2A, the container 12 has a circular cross-section and
is provided with an interior surface 12F and an exterior surface
12G extending from bottom 12B of the container 12 to the top 12E of
the container 12. The exterior surface 12G of the container 12 has
a top portion 12H located adjacent the top opening 12D of the
container 12 and a bottom portion 12I located adjacent the bottom
wall 12A of the container 12. The top portion 12H of the container
12, preferably has an outer diameter smaller than the outer
diameter of the bottom portion 12I of the container 12 such that a
shoulder 12J is formed at the intersection of the top portion 12H
and the bottom portion 12I of the container 12. As shown in FIG. 2,
the exterior surface 12G of the container 12 is provided with a
handle 14 which extends along the exterior surface 12G of the
container 12, parallel to the longitudinal axis A--A of the
container 12. The handle 14 extends upward from the bottom wall 12A
of the container 12 with the top 14A of the handle 14 mounted just
below the top portion 12H of the container 12. The handle 14 is
spaced apart from the exterior surface 12G of the container 12
which allows for easy grasping and handling of the container 12.
Preferably, the handle 14 is of a size and is spaced apart from the
exterior surface 12G of the container 12 that an average adult can
completely insert all the fingers of one hand (not shown) through
the handle 14. In the preferred embodiment, the container 12 is
constructed from lightweight plastic and the handle 14 and the
container 12 are blow molded as a unitary piece such that the
handle 14 is hollow which acts to increase the buoyancy of the
device 10. The exterior surface 12G of the container 12 is
waterproof to protect the interior surface 12F of the container 12.
The container 12 is also able to float such that the device 10 is
able to be retrieved from the water in case of accidental dropping
of the device 10 into the water.
The reflective chamber 16, which can be removeable, has a closed
bottom 16A and an open top 16B and is preferably mounted parallel
to the interior surface 12F of the container 12. The chamber 16 has
a reflective layer 18 encased in a transparent layer 20 (FIG. 2A).
In the preferred embodiment, the reflective chamber 16 has a
circular cross-section with the inner diameter of the chamber 16 of
such a size that an average adult can completely insert a hand into
the chamber 16 to allow for easy removal and insertion of the glow
bait 22 into the container 12. The chamber 16 preferably has a
constant inner diameter along its length to prevent injury to the
user or the damage to device 10 during insertion and removal of the
glow bait 22. The removeability of the chamber 16 allows for easy
replacement of the chamber 16 when necessary due to damage to the
chamber 16. The constant diameter and the closed bottom 16A allow
for even reflection of the light from the flash circuit 32 (to be
described in detail hereinafter) which allows uniform contact of
the light with the glow bait 22 which achieves even energization of
the glow bait 22. The reflective layer 18 is encased in a
transparent layer 20 such that the reflective layer 18 is
surrounded on all sides by the transparent layer 20. Preferably,
the transparent layer 20 with the inner reflective layer 18 within,
is constructed in two longitudinal halves which are fused together
to form the chamber 16 (FIG. 2A). The transparent layer 20 is
preferably constructed of glass and has a thickness on at least the
side of the reflective layer 18 opposite the interior surface 12E
of the container 12 such that when the glow bait 22 is placed on
the transparent layer 20, the glow bait 22 is spaced above the
reflective layer 18. The spacing of the glow bait 22 above the
reflective layer 18 enables the light from the flash circuit 32 to
reflect off the reflective layer 18 at varying angles and to
reflect off the reflective layer 18 located beneath the glow bait
22 to energize the portion of glow bait 22 adjacent to the
transparent layer 20. In the preferred embodiment, the closed
bottom 16A of the chamber 16 is spaced above the bottom wall 12A of
the container 12 and is curved such that the closed bottom 16A
forms a concave surface adjacent the bottom wall 12A of the
container 12 (FIG. 2). The concave transparent layer 20 and
reflective layer 18 allow the flash of light from the flash circuit
32 to reflect off the concave reflective layer 18 onto all sides of
the glow bait 22 such as to energize all sides of the glow bait 22.
Thus, the glow bait 22 is able to be completely energized on all
sides with a single activation. The closed bottom 16A of the
chamber 16 is provided with a spacer 21 located between the closed
bottom 16A of the chamber 16 and the bottom wall 12A of the
container 12. The spacer 21 prevents the closed bottom 16A of the
chamber 16 from making contact with the bottom wall 12A of the
container 12. Preferably, the spacer 21 is constructed of an
elastomeric material in order to act as a shock absorber during
movement of the device 10. The container 12 is also provided with
packing 23 adjacent the bottom wall 12A and bottom portion 12I of
the container 12 such as to prevent the chamber 16 from coming in
contact with the interior surface 12E of the container 12.
In the preferred embodiment, a circular rim 24, which can be
removeable for removal of chamber 16, is mounted around the
perimeter of the open top 16B of the chamber 16. The outer diameter
of the circular rim 24 of the chamber 16 is preferably larger than
the inner diameter of the top opening 12D of the container 12 such
that the rim 24 rests upon the top opening 12D of the container 12
upon insertion of the reflective chamber 16 into the container 12.
The length of the chamber 16 is slightly less than the length of
the container 12 thus, when the chamber 16 is inserted into the
container 12, the rim 24 comes in contact with the top opening 12D
before the closed bottom 16A of the chamber 16 contacts the bottom
wall 12A of the container 12. Preferably, the spacer 21 provided on
the bottom 16A of the chamber 16 enables the bottom 16A of the
chamber 16 to rest upon the bottom wall 12A of the container 12,
when the rim 24 is resting upon the top opening 12D of the
container 12. In the preferred embodiment, the diameter of the top
portion 12H of the container 12 is the same as the outer diameter
of the top rim 24 of the chamber 16. Thus, the rim 24 is flush with
the top portion 12H of the container 12 such that the lid 26 (to be
described in detail hereinafter) is able to easily close over the
top portion 12H and the rim 24 to rest upon the shoulder 12J formed
in the exterior surface 12G of the container 12 by the connection
of the top portion 12H and the bottom portion 12I of the container
12. The lid 26 is comprised of a top wall 26A and a sidewall 26B
extending outward from the top wall 26A and is provided with an
inner surface 26C and an outer surface 26D. The lid 26 preferably
has a circular cross-section with the inner diameter of the lid 26
approximately equal to the outer diameter of the top portion 12H of
the container 12. The inner diameter of the lid 26 is such as to
easily fit over the top portion 12H of the container 12 without
excessive side-by-side motion such that in the closed position, the
inner surface 26C of the lid 26 is adjacent the exterior surface
12G of the top portion 12H of the container 12. The thickness of
the sidewall 26B is preferably less than the width of the shoulder
12J formed on the exterior surface 12G of the container 12. Thus
the outer surface 26D of the lid 26 is spaced inward with respect
to the exterior surface 12G of the bottom portion 12I of the
container 12 when in the closed position. Having the outer surface
26D of the lid 26 indented from the exterior surface 12G of the
container 12 increases the aesthetic quality of the device 10 and
also helps prevent accidental opening of the lid 26 during
activation. The length of the sidewall 26B of the lid 26 is
preferably slightly greater than the length of the top portion 12H
of the container 12 and the circular rim 24 of the chamber 16
combined such that when the lid 26 is in the closed position, the
sidewall 26B of the lid 26 completely covers the top portion 12H of
the container 12 and the circular rim 24 of the chamber 16 and the
top wall 26A of the lid 26 is spaced above the rim 24 of the
chamber 16.
The lid 26 is mounted onto the top 14A of the handle 14 of the
container 12 adjacent the top portion 12H of the container 12 (FIG.
2). The lid 26 is pivotably mounted to the container 12 by a hinge
28. The hinge 28 is mounted at one side to the exterior surface 12G
of the container 12, preferably, to the top 14A of the handle 14 of
the container 12 and at the other side to the outer surface 26D of
the lid 26. Preferably, the hinge 28 is mounted by screws 30 having
a length such as to extend through the sidewall 26B of the lid 26
but not such as to interfere with the secure closing of the lid 26
over the rim 24 and the top portion 12H of the container 12 (FIG.
3). As shown in FIG. 2, the hinge 28 is provided with a tab 28A
which extends outward from the side of the hinge 28 mounted onto
the outer surface 26D of the lid 26. The tab 28A allows for easier
pivoting of the lid 26 to the open position and allows the lid 26
to be easily held in the open position. In the preferred
embodiment, the tab 28A is located such that when the lid 26 is
completely closed, the tab 28A is spaced above the top 16A of the
handle 14 perpendicular to the axis A--A of the container 12 (FIG.
1). The positioning of the tab 28A is such that the user can grasp
the handle 14 in one hand and use the same hand to flip open the
lid 26. Preferably, the user grasps the handle 14 between the palm
and fingers of the hand and uses the thumb of the same hand to push
the tab 28A downward toward the handle 16 thus, causing the lid 26
to pivot open.
The flash circuit 32 is mounted within the lid 26 adjacent the
inner surface 26C of the top wall 26A of the lid 26 (FIGS. 2 and
3). The flash circuit 32 is mounted such that when the lid 26 is in
the closed position, the circuit 32 is positioned within the top
opening 12D of the container 12 such that the circuit 32 does not
interfere with complete closure of the lid 26 over the container
12. Preferably, the circuit 32 is mounted on the inner surface 26C
of the top wall 26A of the lid 26 by an adhesive (not shown) such
as an epoxy resin. The circuit 32 is preferably similar to standard
flash circuits well known in the art. The circuit 32 consists of a
power source 34, a capacitor 36, a flashbulb 38 and other
electrical components 40 electrically connected together as
necessary for the circuit 32 to operate correctly (FIG. 5). The
circuit 32 is arranged such that the flashbulb 38 flashes downward
into the top opening 12D of the container 12 when the lid 26 is
closed over the top opening 12D and the circuit 32 is activated
(FIG. 2). Preferably, the flashbulb 38 is of an intensity such as
to completely energize several glow bait 22 located within the
container 12 during a single activation of the flashbulb 38. In the
preferred embodiment, the power source 34 is comprised of two AAA
alkaline batteries equaling 3 volts of power (FIG. 3). It is
understood that other power sources could also be used, although,
it is preferred that the source be portable, long lasting and
easily replaced if necessary. The circuit 32 is also provided with
an LED 42 which extends upward from the circuit 32 through the top
wall 26A of the lid 26 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The LED 42 is connected to
the capacitor 36 and illuminates when the capacitor 36 is
sufficiently charged (FIG. 5). The LED 42 is located outside of the
container 12 such as to signal the user when the flash circuit 32
has been activated to indicate that the glow bait 22 have been
energized.
The flash circuit 32 is activated by a switch 44 mounted onto the
exterior surface 12G of the container 12. In the preferred
embodiment, the switch 44 is a push down spring resilient switch.
The switch 44 is preferably mounted to the top 14A of the handle 14
adjacent the top portion 12H of the container 12 (FIG. 2). The
switch 44 is mounted through the side of the hinge 28 mounted onto
the top 14A of the handle 14 of the container 12. The switch 44 is
located such that the user is able to grasp the handle 14 of the
container 12 and activate the circuit 32 by means of the switch 44
with the same hand. Preferably, the tab 28A of the hinge 28 is
spaced above the switch 44 and the height of the switch 44 is such
that the switch 44 is not accidentally activated during opening of
the lid 26. The switch 44 is preferably electrically connected to
the circuit 32 by wires 46 which extend through the container 12
and into the lid 26 and are connected to the circuit 32 (FIG.
2).
In an alternate embodiment as shown in FIG. 4, the device 110
includes a container 112, a lid 120 and a flash circuit 122 mounted
within the lid 120. The container 112 has a bottom wall 112A which
forms the bottom 112B of the container 112 and a sidewall 112C
which extends upward from the bottom wall 112A to form a top
opening 112D at the top 112E of the container 112. The container
112 is provided with an interior surface 112F and an exterior
surface 112G extending from top 112E of the container 112 to the
bottom 112B of the container 112. The interior surface 112F is
preferably spaced apart and parallel to the exterior surface 112G
of the container 112. The exterior surface 112G of the container
112 has a top portion 112H located adjacent the top opening 112D of
the container 112 and a bottom portion 112I located adjacent the
bottom wall 112A of the container 112. The top portion 112H of the
container 112, preferably has an outer diameter smaller than the
outer diameter of the bottom portion 112I of the container 112 such
that a first outer shoulder 112J and a first inner shoulder 112K
are formed at the intersection of the top portion 112H and the
bottom portion 112I of the container 112. The exterior surface 112G
of the container 112 is provided with a handle 114 which extends
along the exterior surface 112G of the container 112, parallel to
the longitudinal axis B--B of the container 112. The handle 114
extends upward from the bottom wall 112A of the container 112 with
the top 114A of the handle 114 mounted adjacent the top portion
112H of the container 112 and the bottom 114B of the handle 114
mounted adjacent the bottom wall 112A of the container 112. The top
114A of the handle 114 is angled downward and outward away from the
top opening 112D of the container 112. The top 114A of the handle
114 forms the portion of the container 112 adjacent the top portion
112H of the container 112. A second inner shoulder 112L is formed
at the point where the top 114A of the handle 114 joins with the
exterior surface 112G of the container 112. The interior surface
112F of the container 112 adjacent the top 114A of the handle 114
is also angled inward toward the top opening 112H of the container
112 such as to remain parallel to the top 114A of the handle 114
and thus the exterior surface 112G of the container 112. The bottom
114B of the handle 114 is angled upward and outward away from the
bottom wall 112A of the container 112 such that the handle 114 is
spaced apart from the exterior surface 112G of the container 112.
The handle 114 is spaced apart from the exterior surface 112G of
the container 112 to allow for easy grasping and handling of the
container 112. Preferably, the handle 114 is of a size and is
spaced apart from the exterior surface 112G of the container 112
such as to provide sufficient grasping room such that an average
adult can completely insert all the fingers of one hand (not shown)
between the handle 114 and the exterior surface 112G of the
container 112.
A reflective layer 116 is mounted on the interior surface 112F of
the container 112. The reflective layer 116 completely covers the
bottom wall 112A of the container 112 and extends upward along the
sidewall 112C of the container 112, to the first inner shoulder
112K and the second inner shoulder 112L. A transparent layer 118 is
mounted on the reflective layer 116 on a side opposite the
container 112. The transparent layer 118 is of a thickness such as
to allow light from the flash circuit 122 (to be described
hereinafter) to reflect off the reflective layer 116 onto the glow
bait 22. The reflective layer 116 and the transparent layer 118
preferably have a constant thickness such as to closely approximate
the shape of the interior surface 112F of the container 112. The
interior surface 112F of the container 112 can be any shape such as
for example, a square, an ellipsoid or a parabola provided in the
shape of the interior surface 112F of the container 112 allows for
energization of the glow bait 22 in response to activation of the
flash circuit 122.
The inner diameter of the transparent layer 118 is of a size such
that an average adult can completely insert a hand into the
container 112, which allows for easy removal and insertion of the
glow bait 22 into the container 112. The transparent layer 118 has
a constant inner diameter along its length to prevent injury to the
user or damage to the device 10 during insertion and removal of the
glow bait 22. The constant diameter also allows for even reflecting
of the light from the flash circuit 122 thus, allowing uniform
contact of the light with the glow bait 22 which achieves even
energization of the glow bait 22. The transparent layer 118 is
preferably constructed of glass and has a thickness such that when
the glow bait 22 is placed on the transparent layer 118, the glow
bait 22 is spaced above the reflective layer 116. The spacing of
the glow bait 22 above the reflective layer 116 enables the light
from the flash circuit 122 to reflect off the reflective layer 116
at varying angles and to reflect off the reflective layer 116
located beneath the glow bait 22 in order to energize the portion
of glow bait 22 adjacent to the transparent layer 118.
The lid 120 and the flash circuit 122 of the device 110 of the
alternate embodiment are preferably identical to the lid 26 and
flash circuit 32 of the preferred embodiment and therefore, will
not be described. The switch 124 of the alternate embodiment is
mounted similarly to the switch 44 of the preferred embodiment on
the top 114A of the handle 114 of the container 112. The wires 126
(one shown) connecting the switch 124 to the circuit 122 extend
through the top 114A of the handle 114 and upward through the
container 112 to emerge from the container 112 adjacent the top
opening 112D and extend into the lid 120 to connect with the flash
circuit 122
IN USE
To use the device 10, the user grasps the handle 14 of the
container 12 in a first hand (not shown) such that the fingers of
the first hand extend through the handle 14. The user flips open
the lid 26 of the device 10 by pulling down on the tab 28A of the
hinge 28 with the thumb of the first hand. Preferably, when not in
use, the lid 26 is loosely closed over the top opening 12D of the
container 12. Keeping the lid 26 in the open position by holding
the thumb on the tab 28A, the user then inserts the glow bait 22
into the container 12 using a second hand (not shown). In the
preferred embodiment, the user places the glow bait 22 onto the
concave bottom 16A of the chamber 16 in order to avoid potentially
damaging the glass transparent layer 20. Next, the user closes the
lid 26 over the top opening 12D of the container 12. The user then
activates the flash circuit 32 by pushing the switch 44 with the
thumb of the first hand while continuing to grasp the handle 14
with the same hand. The user preferably uses the second hand to
assure that the lid 26 remains completely closed over the top
opening 12D of the container 12 during activation. Once activation
is complete, the LED 42 is extinguished and the user opens the lid
26 of the device 10 At night the LED 42 also illuminates the lid
26, thus facilitating use of the device 10. Preferably, the user
opens the lid 26 as previously indicated with the thumb of the
first hand on the tab 28A of the hinge 28. Holding the lid 26 open,
the user then removes the glow bait 22 which is energized and ready
for use in fishing, particularly at night, from the container 12
with the second hand. The degree of energization of a single glow
bait 22 depends upon the number of glow bait 22 energized during a
single activation of the device 10. In the preferred embodiment, a
number of glow bait 22 are placed in the container 12 to cover the
bottom 16A at one time in order to achieve maximum energization of
the glow bait 22 on all sides. A single energization of the glow
bait 22, in the container 12, in the preferred embodiment, enables
the glow bait 22 to be energized and thus, glow. The embodiment of
FIG. 4 operates similarly.
It is intended that the foregoing description by only illustrative
of the present invention and that the present invention be limited
only by the hereinafter appended claims.
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